Barbate Marshes, La Janda, back at Barbate Marshes and a night around Barbate Town, Cadiz Province, Spain.

Good days birding with Ricky Owen but a bad bit of timing.

Barbate Pools.

I met Ricky at the entrance to the Salt Pans / Lakes and straight away alarm bells started to ring when we saw several people laying out tape to restrict access along the road, Ricky checked with the guys and they said we were OK to walk out to the pools we want to look for the American Golden Plover (Chorlito Dorado Americano / Pluvialis dominica) which had been around for a few days.

Barbate Pools.

We started to walk out picking up Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia), Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus),  good numbers of Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Common Redstart (Colirroja Real / Phoenicurus phoenicurus), Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Grey Plover (Chorlito Gris / Pluvialis squatarola), Little Stint (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus) and Audouin's Gulls (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii) and Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis). 

We reached the end of the Western side of the pools and then turned along the track through the pools, as we walked we saw Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Calandra Lark (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra) and then the first of the noisy bird flushing Rally Cars came passed the lakes, impressive but noisy.

Red Knot (Correlimos Gordo / Calidris canutus).

Red Knot (Correlimos Gordo / Calidris canutus).

Red Knot (Correlimos Gordo / Calidris canutus).

We continued on adding Curlew Sandpiper (Correlimos Zarapitin / Calidris ferruginea), Kentish (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus) and Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres), Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa), Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) and Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos).

Northern Bald Ibis (Ibis Eremita / Geronticus eremita).

Northern Bald Ibis (Ibis Eremita / Geronticus eremita).

We reached a small wooded Bridge and we turned around and walked back around the pool until we could look back across to the area where Ricky had seen it a few days earlier and we picked up a bird quite a way off which showed a good supercilium and looked right but it was distant so we tried to get closer but the birds flushed up again with all the noise and we never found it and as it was quite distant I did not count it as hoped for better views later but it didn't happen unfortunately.

Audouin's Gulls (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii).

We decided to cut our loses and headed off to La Janda where we just did a drive along the main Canal, as we drove we picked up Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Little Egret, Marsh Harrier, Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus), Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), an immature Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), 2x Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and a female Northern Pintail (Ánade Rabudo / Anas acuta).

White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia).

Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis).

Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis).

Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis).

I said goodbye to Ricky at this point after a nice few hours birding and went back to Barbate but as hard as I tried I could not turn any of the Grey Plovers into the American Golden and all I managed to add was Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) before I went and found my hotel and later walked around the town looking for something to eat.

Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) immature.

Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) immature.

Northern Pintail (Ánade Rabudo / Anas acuta) female.

Northern Pintail (Ánade Rabudo / Anas acuta) female.

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A longer loop out to the Mesia Road than normal.

Ebird List.

Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).

I parked at my usual spot and as I needed a good stretch of the legs I walked out to the far side of the Mesia road by going along the Southern side of the Arroyo Vilano and under the railway bridge and along the far side of the Arroyo and back again.

Displaying Black-winged Kites (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus).

Displaying Black-winged Kites (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus).

High Lights were 3x Black-winged Kites (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus) the first time I have recorded more than one bird on the site,  Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) an uncommon wintering bird, Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) and Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).

Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus).

On my way back I saw the original Black-winged Kite sat on one of it's usual posts, Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus) and Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis).

Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus) and Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops).

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A walk through the patch from the Mechanic's in Venta Nueva.

Ebird List.

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

I decided to walk the 6 and a bit KMs back from the Mechanic's in Venta Nueva to the house across the patch, high lights were Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), 2x immature Turtle Doves (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur) mixed in with a large flock of Collared Doves (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Common (Colirroja Real / Phoenicurus phoenicurus) and Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) x11, Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) and Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki).

Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur).

Huétor Fields and Sierra de Loja, Granada Province, Spain.

Day on the fields and up on the hill with friends Barbara, Derek and Andy.

Ebird List for Curlew Fields.

Ebird List for Lucerne Fields to Huétor Tajar.

Ebird List for Sierra de Loja.

Ebird List for late visit to Huétor Fields.

 

Andy, Derek and Barbara counting Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus).

I met Barbara, Derek and Andy up at the Cortijo de Tajar and after a coffee we headed out on to the fields and just out of the town we made our first stop where we were delighted to find a flock of 20 Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) and even more exciting was looking at a flock of at the very least 340 Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) they are so difficult to spot we thnk that there were probably much closer to 400 birds there.

The Fields.

Other birds seen there were Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis).

Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus).

Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus).

We moved up to the top fields around the Lucerne Fields where we had a walk and added 3x Green Sandpipers (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) which flew over calling, Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), Common (Colirroja Real / Phoenicurus phoenicurus) and Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Whinchat (Tarabilla Nortena / Saxicola rubetra), Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe) and Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus).

Spotless Starlings (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor).

Spotless Starlings (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor).

Spotless Starlings (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor).

We headed off up the A92 to Sierra de Loja and we drove quickly over to the far side to the area of Hawthorn Bushes (Crataegus monogyna) where we had good views of at least 19 but probably more Ring Ouzels (Mirlo Capiblanco / Turdus torquatus), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Thekla Larks (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae) and Black Wheatears (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura). 

Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus).

Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus).

Once we had something to eat we started to make our way back down slow and as we went we added Northern Wheatears, Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius) and Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus).

Ring Ouzel (Mirlo Capiblanco / Turdus torquatus) male.

Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe).

We took the track up to the middle quarry and scanned the crags and the gorse covered slopes where we found a couple of Dartford Warblers (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), a good number of passage Alpine Swifts (Vencejo Real / Apus melba) and inside the quarry we found a few Crocus Sternbergi.

Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa).

Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa).

We dropped back down to the Abades seeing a couple of Red Squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) on the way, once there we said our goodbyes and I heading off after a good days birding and in good company.

Crocus Sternbergi.

As I still need a walk I did another visit to the Lucerne Fields, as I walked I added a few more species to the days list including Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and by far the best species were 6x Calandra Larks (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra).

Padul Wetlands, Granada Province, Spain.

A dip on a duck.

Ebird List.

I was doing some work in the garden when good friend Juan Perez Contreras gave me a call to say he had just seen a male Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata) so I headed straight up there and met Juan just above the pool at Restaurante Montesol.

We dropped down to the pool and Juan put me on to the area where he had seen the bird but then he unfortunately had to head off so I stayed there and scanned the pool picking up an eclipse male Garganey (Cerceta Carretona / Anas querquedula), Northern Shovelers (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus) and Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild) but I didn't find the Duck unfortunately.

Huétor Fields and from the terrace, Granada Province, Spain.

A repeat of yesterdays Loop.

Ebird List for the Fields.

Ebird List for the Terrace.

High Lights during the walk included Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Common Redstart (Colirroja Real / Phoenicurus phoenicurus), Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), Whinchat (Tarabilla Nortena / Saxicola rubetra) and Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild).

Later I sat up on the terrace but it was quiet and the most interesting species were Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) and Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus).  

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

Another hike around the path.

Ebird List.

Whinchat (Tarabilla Nortena / Saxicola rubetra).

I started at the usual spot and walked out as far as the Huétor road and down into town and then back to the car via the Montifrio Road. 

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

High Lights included 26x Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), 311x Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), 8x Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), Whinchat (Tarabilla Nortena / Saxicola rubetra), Common Redstart (Colirroja Real / Phoenicurus phoenicurus), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) and Skylarks (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis).

Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus).

Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius).

Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor).

Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis).